Method of making storage-battery containers



T. A. WILLARD.

METHOD OF MAKiNG STORAGE BATTERY CONTAINERS. aPPucanou mu) FEB; Hi 1921.

1,42 1 748. ate t d uly 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented July 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. A. WILLARD. METHOD OF MAKING STORAGE BATTERY CONTAINERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, I1, I92!- 1,421,748.

lned t' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

V'LHEQDORE A. WILLARD. or CLEVELAND HEIGItTS, 01:10.

mm'non F majzmc STORAGE-BATTERY con'rammts.

- i Application filed. February To .all wbopi it may concern; Be it knd'w ndhatl THEODOIil-I A. 'nj- 1 tenn s r the twin-a States, residing at Cleveland. Heights;- In the eonnty of 6 Cuypho git' an State of Ohio, have. invented a eertnm'new an? useful Imnoveme nt in MethQHs-pf BhikinQ Stgrageattery. Containei' gi of whieh'"the following is a fuli clean-and eng'aet deseription."

it) "This invntior'iimlates to a' nlethodiof "Pat nt N 13352, e a seeme-mem hem ee q form posite sides or faces of the mntainer. pref el'-- ablv in the squeezing or pressing step. I Still further. the invention relates to an improved way ofapplymg the {mes-inn so 1041s tt 3. work the air out from between the.

I sheet -rnhber and 'sides'of thew-ore or cores and revent the foi'lnationofimperfect jars by t e trapping of air between the rubber and-the core surfmes whichthe rohber en- (figs; l he invention may be briefly sttltlllllill'm'd as consisting in certain novel steps and combination of steps of the improved inetliod whielrwill be dlfit'llll'll in the s a-.eilieation til) and set forth in the appended eluims;

- In the accompanying sheets of drawings.

wherein I have shown the manner of earr ing out the principal steps of my method. 4 Fig.1 is a perspective view of the ma or portion of a press \vhieh may be employed advantageously, the plungers of the press bemethod dctiliedgtn lgiimed inmy rior,

. i clral ifi e i 'app'li angles to, enti rely '0 ve r Specification of Letters Patent. batut J l 4 u, 921. Sertal m..444,24s.

ingi'etraeted. and: there being onthe-bed. ready for the compression fstroke, a; rubber: and core assembly including a plurality of eores hetween which and over the -hottonl-fin .and around the sides of which, rtibher 'hus been placed for the formation of a Ill "Ill; -'compnrtment container; Fig.- 2f is a. i

I Ql'r I 1 speetn'e view of the finished container; ltig,

r13 i s' a ti'ansve se seetional'view machine and throngh the bore assemhly "which isto be ,comp t n; F:

through the, 6 vand rubber. reSsed 'there- 1s a perspective "ie'svilobki vie w; .with the plunger, insert and a e'r block employed therewith separated:

a redn'eed scale: Fig.7 is,a perspet'tive'i'ier." of thegbore and rubber as'ea'rnhly-leiidffii i be placed in the press, iml'tinlls tlf the inh her sheets heing'hroken awayz-and Fi i-'8 -is a transverse seetional view throngh the upper part of the assembly alid plnngersf this section Ming-taken at right angles to the section of FIg. 3.

Inflapplying the method of my prior" l'atent elnsed then-in. single eolnpurtnl'ent jars were formed, but in aeeordanw with the present implored method. a Inulti-eompartment container sneh as shown at 10 in Fig. 2 pro-' 0. 1.3::2161. and as s weilieally dlsl Ffltd g tQ inner 'faceib f one of the pningt-i-sf towlllclt'lt' l1andIe'-'inert=hus bum applied 76? to inserted 'in th'ft robber fonn'i'ng- 'oneend of the Container} Fig. '5 i s'a similar" dneed, this eontainer having side. end and bottom walls. and anumber of eompartments [0" separated l| vertieal partitions 10". the \v'hole formedin one integral body or unit from plastir, nneured rubber. whirl: 4 afterlhe (tPlllPltSSillg step is vnleanized to harden the rubber and thoroughly cement all seamsnlnl joints. e

l'lhe eontninel'. may have any iinnther 'of compartments 1U, hnt'for emlvenieneevh In forming this eontainer a pjuralify of metal eores [I are utilized one;'for-ti-qmlimlnpartplent,each mm being snnila'r'to theeores utilized In fornungthe titllgl't'tilltpartment jars. 'llnit is to say, they are-5105" Y hot-s reetungnlarin shape and are'plefe m loii'ed out for the. sake of lightness 15%;

ore. as In the ease with the eores forming ordinary suigle minpartnlen' in is provided at the bottom with trauma-lg l0 tapered slots into" whichstrips ll of rnh-"' her are driven to form upstanding hrldges at the bottom of earl] eompal'tnient M the eonlainer to support the battery elements. ln forming the (ore and rubber assembly to prmltu'r a mulli-eolnpartnn'nt container.

'10 to the dimensions of the side fin-es of the -eore. .-\s will be readily understood; the eores' ll form the ('(HIIPfll'tllltfllS hr of theeontainer it) of Fig; 2, and the sheets 12 separating tl|eeores.- -form the partitions ill" 15 whieh separate the compartments, Prior to assembling the cm'es and intervening rubber sheets 12; the eores, if both the euros and sheets are painted wi 1 rubber cement, and t hength'e eoresand sh .ts ware assembled as" zoom-min Fig; 7.4m tightly squeezedtoti r. 2 v 1 I a 'fTh ,eoreand rubbe assemlilyisgompleted hj'liis $91313 rulibel: \lllfill'tXiYPlS the bott'a'eesi'of'thi a lid is adapted to form I in l iinefi'also by sheets 14 vofdi'iibbefi'adapted y-{form the snles'of the cdntiiiiier and bye-sheets over {the sides; sza reis tes' is r a' llgbesef li lteettfz.beinggeingileg with rubber eei 1?: 111 i lfqlgitgss entialfas to whidh' bf fjtlid'shetsll,.lfnilidllijbvei'lap the edges of the oth'er,"nur .do:. it essential to my "invention that the sides if! ends be formed byseparate pieces of rubber. Separate pieces are pl'e'ferably'employed and placed about the assembly of (sires as shown and exlainedalim'e. because of the diflleulty in 40 andling larger'sheets, but'it ma be praciticable toenyelop the cores wit] a single. sheet of-ruhber to form the sides and ends of 'theoontainer, or with two pieces instead of y the four asheresho'wn. v 46 'jAfte'r the core and rubber assembly neoessary to makes, multi-eompartrnent container ismade up in the manner. above explained, the whole assembly is tightly squeezed together sons to close all seams or joints. and eause' tlie rubber to adhere closely to the cores. For this pu I prefer to employ a piessubstantiall' like'that illustrated inf my,prio'r Patent '0. 1,207,673, above re- .ferred to, and having a horizontal bed 16. provided witha 'air'of oppositelydisposed power operated ungers'vl'l and 18 for romi ressing opposite sidesof the core and riibhe! assembly. a,power operated plunger w, and; normally stationary abuhnent or plate 20 o positeliv disposed with respect lo one anot nor, am adapted to eompress the other ltwofsides or rather the ends of the asselol d and an upper, power operated plunger 2| fo'r exerting pressure down ontheassembly. 65 The inner or eonlpressing fares of all plungmost 535$ J d; ends. 10f thefeontame'rii inwardly extendin gsvhieh are laid seqaentI it becomes desirable that ha being partly embedded in the-rn plished by my invention in tl ers (.(t't'lll the upper plum'er 21 are preferably flat. but the plunger I ha on its lower fareribs or projertiuns 2| for a purlmse to be explained.

'lhe 'plungeis IT. Ih'. 19 and 21 are pref- '10 erahly lrvdraulieally operated. though other motive? fluid by whieh sullleient power can be exerted ran be utilizeeL and therefore these plunger-s are eonneeted to pistdnsnp erat-ing' in .fiuid pressure eylinders 22. The cylinders which operate the plungers [7. 1H. and ltl. whieh have an inward horizontal movement. are supported directly on the bed. while the ey-linder for operating the upper plunger 21 vertically. may-be: supported on a yoke sueh as shown at 23 in Fig-(i. and a )ortion of which is shown -in Fig; "1.

i lhe normally stationary 'plate or abut-' meat 20 is moved in and out alon a.guide.- way of the bed by hand. and'is loe ed in sition by a movable lot-king deviee 24. i lie alnltmnt- 2(lis preferably provided witlfan tongue "Hilde-2W on r which the core and rubber assembly is supported during the impressing or squeezing operation. It might'here he'mentioned'that the slide 20 and abu,tn|ent 20 as shown'in ,Eigs. 1 and time not in the inward positions whlchfthey occupy during the impressing, step of the process, as will be' explained sub 9 Atthis point I will-refer to an important feature of the invention, namely, thap'lieation of handle inserts to the soft rub 1 forming the ends of the container during the compression step. To makewlear the utility 'and importance'of this part 'of the'in vention, it may be stated that when a bat-e tery employing ordinary single eohijafi'rh ment jars is made up. the jars are inserted 106 and sealed in a wooden battery-box to which handles are fastened for convenience in handling -the battery. However. a' multicompartment container such as produced by the resent method does away with the ne- 110 oeslty forthe outside wooden box. sothat ndles be .attached to the ends of the eontaiuer. Y

Due to the fact that this multi-eo'mpartment container is fornn-d of rubber. which 116 after vul'animtion is exen-dingly hard.- hahdles can not be applied and fastened to it in the same manner that they a re applied and fastened to a ,wooden battery box. and it-becomes desirable that they be a iplied by 120 b -r -whilo This isaeeolnum npressing stepntilized in forming the ('onlainer.

'lhe partieular form or designol' thelian- I2 dle whieh is applied is innnalerial to this feature of my invention. It may be a (Olliplete handle having' a handheld portion. or it may simply e a part which is embedded In the rubber to l'vtwivfi the handhpropel.

in asoftniivulcanized state.

'- The handle This last is preferred, especially as it admits of the replacement of the handle proper should it become broken or corroded by acid. A further reason that I prefer a two-part handle'consisting of an insertembedded in the rubber and a handle member attached to it, is that in ractice the handle should project above t e to ofthe container, and

shouldxit-beforme inon'e piece and project above thefltop of the container, it would interfere with the applic-ation of pressure on the container in the process of manufactur ing it, and-also'render diflicult the truing of the container by a grinding process w ich atgtimes is necessary. Therefore, in Fig. '1 the container 10 is shown as provided "with handle inserts in the form of u-shap'ed straps 25 whose ends are embedded in the; ends of the container, and which projectoutwardly therefrom so as to emit a-handle proper; 126 to beapplied t ereto. upper. in this instance is in the form bf [shaped piece of wire or rod wliose ends areFinserted down between the strap and the ends of' thicontainer and allowed to spring'apartso-as to be retained,'

in the atrap 'the extreme ends being bent lateral-ly so as m act as shoulders )reventing the accidental withdrawal of the handle.

For'tliepnrposeofa iplying the inserts 25. the inner facesof tie plunger 19 and "plate nit-abutment 20 are provided with recas shown in,l"ig. 2. the roreand rubber assemblv.suchasshown-in Fig. 7. is'mude u'p ontsit e oh-the press, and after the handle inserts have been positioned in the plunger ltland abutment 20, the core and rubber asscmbl isfplaced on the-tongue or slide 20" of"the =almtincnt 20. substantially as shown in Figswl and 3': although to place the assembly on the-slide. the abutment will be witluhanvn:furtheritban shown in these fig- JlltS. Then the core and rubbcr assembly face of the abutment or plate 20. and 'in so doing the ends of the Insert carried l) the abutment are inserted in the soft rubber.

is-nnmually moved up against theuyight "Then the slide and abutment 20 and the assembly carried by the slide are moved inward to compressing position, and the abutment and sllde are locked in place by the locking device 24. Then the valve or valves are operated to actuate the plungers, causing the core and rubber assembly to be very tightly compressed onall five of the rubber cove-red faces. It is immaterial whether the plunger-s are actuated simultaneously or successively, though as the process is carried out by me in practice. the plunger 19 engages the assembly and forces it tightly up against the abutment 20 at about the same time, or just before the plungers 17 and 19 come up to and squeeze the sides of the assembly, after which the longer 21 comes down on the assembly and squeezes it very firmly between the plun er 21 and the slide 20. The pressure whic 1 in practice is very severe. is allowed toremain simultaneously on all the rubber covered faces of the assembly for a brief instantbefore it is released, causing the com ,lete union of allscams or joints' When-t e assembly is squeezed between the plunger 19 and abutments 20 carrying thehandle insertsfithe ends of the inserts are firm'lyembedded' inthe end walls of the container. and under the compressiona the rubber will fill the undercut notches on the ends of the inserts. After the squeezing or compression of the assembly the plungers are retracted, and the container with the handle inserts now embedded in its ends is ready for vulcanization. 1

At this point I wish-to mentionthat it is important that the air beforced out from between the sheets of rnbber and the faces of the cores which they engage to avoid causin the air to be trapped between the rubber and the cores which would result in the formation of defective jars. To avoid this I cause. the air to be squeezed from between the rubber and the cores, and cause .it to be forced out at the open end of the container by an excess of pressure on the rubberforming the lower part'of the upright walls of 'the container ove'r'that forming th upper part of the container. or by a more or less progressive rapleezlng action from the region vforming the lower-pa t of the container to that form} lg tht; upfifip part at fthe side walls. 'lhihf can 'bc d e y attaching the pistonsor t c rodiqexfibindingfromthe pistons t the plnngers 17.1123 and 19,1ahovethej centers of th'tse plungefis so that the pressure is applied'above theicenbers of the plungers. This is the expedient that I have shown in Figsh and 3. Or I may have the faces -of. the plungers 17, 18jand 19, and

abutmentQU on a slight taper as indicated in exaggerated fashion by the dot and dash lines in Fig.3. This expedient I have also employed advantageously. In either event the pressure is slightly greater on the upright sides adjacent the bott'om orclosed end of the container than in the regions adjacent the 0 en end of the container. and there :5, 1n e ect, a progressive action which .was made to the fact that it is provideaxon leak occurring in any part 0 'tively squeeze out the air the istons will be.

connected to the plungers be ow their centers, and if the expedient of tapering the inner faces of the plungers and stationary abutment is also utilized, thetaper would be the reverseof that indicated by the dot und\ dash lines of Fig. 3: that isto sa v, tl 1e lower portions of the plungers would be somewhat closer together than their upper portions.

In Fig. 3 the lower or' open ends of the cores project downwardly somewhat below the lower edges of the sheets )laced between -.and around theco'res, and I t icrefore insert beneath the edges of the sheets, metal filler strips 27 so as to prevent the rubber being ueezed down too far. These pieces 27.. w iich are'preferably utilized whenever the. cores" protrude beyond theirubber sheets, maybe in the form of separate .pieces, or maybe in the form of. an open frame. "In, any event, the width of these pieces are not, such as to obstruct the action of the plan rs in-squeezing the rubber laterally inwa -In describing the plunger- 21, reference its lower face with ribs 21 which are, i ustrated both in Figs. 3 and 8.: On the c'om-" premin stroke of the plunger 2t these ribs enter t ie rubber sheet 13, orming the bottom of the containencausing two shallow grooves to be-produced in'this sheet, and forci the marginal portions of the sheet 13 solidly against the overlapping portions of the sheets 14 and 15. This I have found is useful in eliminatingthe ossibility of 0. the bottom of the jar,-and .if found desirable, the same expedient. can be utilized on the plungers which qlmpress the u right-sides of the container so as to secure y force the rubber together when the -marginal portions of the sheets 14 and 15 overlap.

Followingthe compression step, the plungers are retracted as already stated, and then the slide 20' and the abutment 20 are pulled by reason of the manner .in which ressure 1s outward. withdrawing the now compressed assembly. The assembly is then removed from the press and vulcanized ina suitable. vulcan'izer with the rubber still surrounding the; cores until the container is cured to the. roper, degree. Then the cores are stripper from the container, the top edge of the latter is trued. if necessary, by grinding,

from behind the metal inserts 25. and after the handles 26.:1re applied. the container is ready for use.

Inasmuch as the uncured rubber is very sticky, the sheet 13 forming -the bottom of the container, and the sheets 14 and 15 are preferably covered with thin sheet tin for the-pur ose of preventing the rubber stickin, to the plungers when they are retracted, and also for the purpose of imparting a black. shiny finish to .the container during vulcanization. If therubber forming the container is surfaced with tin. suitable slots will be cut in the tin which covers the ends of the assembly to permit the entrance into the rubber of the handle inserts. A

I. may, if desired. compress the assembly in the presence of heat by steam heating or electrically heating the plungers and the" plate or abutment 20. hutthe means for heating these parts, and nuuu-rous other details (it-the press are not herein illustrated as the pr nt invention does not reside'in the press or apparatus for carrying out the method.

In the compressing step above explaifled,

not-only are't'he sheets, forming the outer wallsof the container firmly and properly uniiedto one another and to, the. transverse. rubber sheets forming the partitions; but the qubbergsheets forming the partitions and the ends of. the container are also .similarly united to the bridge forming inserts in the slots at the. lower ends of the cores, and after vulcanizatiou gthe container is in effect to ed of one unitary bodyof rubber with all parts integral or integrally united, and with scarcely any possibility of leaky containers being formed. Furthermore. it will be ap arent that by rounding 0d the edges of t e cores, each compartment may have rounded fillets at its inner corner edgesdwhile atthe same time the. four outer or vertical edges of the container are reinforced by an increased amount of material.which could'nct be provided in a hand rolled container.

In conclusion it might be stated that by the present method, not onl are containers formed which are strong an 'virtually proof against acid leakage, but containers can be formed lessexpensively than by any other method of which I am aware, and furthermore, the loss due to defective or improperly formed containers is minimized, especially 65 the filler blocks or inserts 27 are knocked out tion of pressure from the bottom to thetop .130

tweerva plurality of ad acent flat cores, placof the container, or the excess pressure at the which comprises lacing rubber in sheet bottom of the container over that at the top. form between a iilrality of flat cores ar.- Having described my invention, I claim ranged side by si e, lacing uncured rubber 1. The method of forming a 1nulti-comin sheet form around the cores to form the partment hard rubber storage battery conupright sides of the container and over the tainer which comprises placing uncured rnbends of the cores to form the bottom of the her in sheet form between a seriesof roles, container, exerting pressure on all rubber B6 placing uncured rubber in sheet form about covered surfaces of the container between the sides and over the bottom ends of the oppositely disclosed compressing members cores and the intervening layers of rubber and causing handle inserts to be embedded so as to' form a core and rubber assembly, apin the rubber forming two of the oppositely plying pressure laterally and vertically to disposed sides of the container. the sides and top and bottom of the assembly, 7. The method'offorming a-hard rubber and vulcanizing the container after the com-- storage batte container which comprisespression mp. forming a. niger and core assembly with 2. The method of forming a multi-eomplastic uncured rubber arrangedto form the partment hard rubber storagebattery conbottom and upright side walls. of the container which comprises placing fiat sheets of tainer, and ap lying ressure to the rubber rubber between a number of cores arranged covered faces, iirst to Sue rubber forming the side by side. lacing rubber about the sides lower part of the container and progres and over the ttom ends of the cores so as sively to the top. w a to contact with the edges of the rubber sheets 8. The method of forming a. hard 'rub-. B0

. between the cores, applying pressure at right ber storage battery container which comangles to the rubber covered faces of the prises fox-mango, rubber and-core'assembly core and rubber "assembly, and vnlcanizing with'sheet rubber arranged so as to form, the ompressed container. the upright sides and bottom of the eon v The method of forming a hard rubber tainer, squeezing the assemblyibetweenjpalrai ali multL-comparti'nent storagebattcrycontuiner of oppositely disposed compressing; momwhich comprises placing sheets of rubber bebers,'and causing the air on the inner side of the rubber forming said, sides to be grudin rubber in sheet 'form around the four ,fllally forced out'ailongsaid sidesfrom the sic es and over the bottom ends of the assemlower art to the top of the container. bled cores, causing pressure to be exerted 9. The method'ot'forming a. hard rubber simultaneously to the rubber covered surshirage batte container whicheomprises. faces of the assembly, and vulcanizin r the forming -a ruiberandcore'assembly with compressed container. sheet rubber arranged so ah to form the up.

4. The method of formiup a hard rubber right sides and bottom of the container,

mnlti-rompnrtment storage battery container squeezing the assembly'between oppositely whiclf comprises placlu; sheets of rubber bedls msed compressing members wit greater tween a plurality of adjacent flat cores, plac pressurea mlicd to the rubber forming the ing rubber in sheet form around the four lower part of the container to that forming sides and ou-r the ends of the asscmblv the top. cores. causin; pressure to be exerted simnl- 10. The method of forming a hard rubber laneonsly to the rubber mvcrcd surfaces of stora ebattery container which comprises the assembly releasing the pressure, and fornnng a rubber and corcassembly with vnlcanizing the compressed container in a sheet rubber arranged to form the upright vulcanizcr. sides and bottom of the container, with'thei The method of forming a hard rubber marginal portions of certain of the sheets storage lmttl-ry container which comprises overlapping, squeezing the assembly between forming a rubber and core assmnbly with pairs'of op xisitely disposed compressing plastic uncured rubber in sheet forlu around members. and 3 SIIIYIP time, causing the exterior toform the sides and bottom of lateral displacement of part of the rubber the container. compwssiog the :lHM'mbl-y beof one sheet so as to bring it into firm entu-ccn oppositely disposed compressing memgmgcmcnt with the portion of'an' adjacent. hols, and forcing handle inserts in the rubsheet overlapping its ed her during: the ('(IllllllPhSillg operation. in testimony whereof, hereunto aflix my 6. The method of forming a hard rubber ignature. mold-compartment storage battery container THEODORE A. VILLARD. 

